Joe Allen

HIGHER ED: you paying attention?

@ginaraimondo.bsky.social has been really good on so many topics. Not surprised she nails it on AI and jobs. And this note about the role of higher ed is spot on:
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/06/o...

The Unmaking of the American University For decades, research universities have relied on federal funding, with no guarantee that it will last. Now their survival may depend on compliance with the government.

Trump has collapsed cancer research.

—> The National Cancer Institute hasn’t made a single grant this fiscal year
www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...

Oh damn hahaha. We do equivalent of 5M worth of tokens per year at work.

“hey chat, how much does 5M tokens cost?”

www.instagram.com/reel/DVZVAMP...

Reagan: "If we don't explore, others will, and we'll fall behind. This is why I've urged Congress to devote more money to research. It is an indispensable investment in America's future"

Sabotaging the NSF fellowship is a blunder Over the last year, the Trump administration has sent one discouraging message after another to young people aspiring to a scientific career in the United States. The corrosive rhetoric that mocks sci...

Trump is surrendering our leadership in science, innovation, and economic and military might

"Over the last year, the Trump administration has sent one discouraging message after another to young people aspiring to a scientific career in the US..."
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

"elite" should be in air quotes going forward

"We hope that clients looking for fearless lawyers and law students deciding where to work will remember which elite firms were unwilling to fight back. Meekness is not a quality most people seek in a lawyer."
www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/o...

The EPA just erased a century of public health progress Former Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Dean Michelle A. Williams on the EPA’s incorrect and morally wrong decision.

What is the value of a human life? According to the Trump administration’s EPA, the answer is zero dollars.
www.statnews.com/2026/02/02/e...

--> Kash Patel Is Testing FBI Norms. Olympic partying is the latest break from generations of reserved bureau directors.

--> Two Dead in Austin Bar Shooting; FBI Sees Possible Links to Terrorism

--> Classified Report Finds Kristi Noem Created Security Vulnerabilities at Airports

--> Tariffs have made the U.S. so unpredictable that our usual partners are looking elsewhere to make deals

--> DOJ Examined Men in Epstein’s Orbit Accused of Sex Crimes. None Were Charged

--> At least one U.S. military aircraft was downed in Kuwait

--> U.S. Races to Accomplish Iran Mission Before Munitions Run Out

--> Turmoil Takes Hold at CDC as Top Officials Keep Leaving

Trump's America, as told by today's WSJ headlines:

--> Trump warns more American deaths are possible

--> Oil Prices Surge, Stock Futures Fall

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On one-year anniversary of LA wildfires, researchers assess health impacts, future prevention efforts | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health A year after the devastating Los Angeles-area wildfires, Harvard Chan researchers who have been assessing the disaster’s health impacts are taking stock of what they’ve learned, and of the work that…

In a Harvard Chan News article, Dr. Kari Nadeau discusses the long-term health consequences of wildfire smoke exposure and the need for sustained research and prevention efforts, joined by colleagues including @joeallenjoe.bsky.social.

How airway ‘squeezing’ during asthma attacks triggers a cycle of worsening disease | Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health New research from Harvard Chan School shows that, during asthma flare-ups, the mechanical “squeezing” of the airway known as bronchoconstriction can trigger responses in the epithelial cells—those tha...

Asthma attacks can worsen disease through airway “squeezing"

hsph.harvard.edu/news/how-air...

Estimating the nationwide transmission risk of measles in US schools and impacts of vaccination and supplemental infection control strategies - PubMed Our results highlight the primary importance of vaccination for reducing the risk of measles transmission among students. Yet, additional and significant risk reduction can be achieved through compartmentalizing students and enhancing building ventilation and filtration systems.

Our study of measles transmission in classrooms showed:
1. Primary importance of vaccination
2. Addt'l and significant benefits of improved ventilation/filtration

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pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32652940/

"Campus operations continue in alignment with guidance from the DOH."

What's missing from the measles outbreak response at Ave Maria University in Florida? The DOH website doesn't mention improving ventilation and filtration.
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folks, I present to you...the person responsible for the health of the nation

I ran into Jake on Capitol Hill on Monday and we chatted in the hallway. He’s really sharp.

“I used to snort cocaine off toilet seats” - RFK Jr

The reduction in coal over a 10 year period from 2008 to 2017 led to ~80,000 fewer deaths due to air pollution

healthybuildings.hsph.harvard.edu/reconstructi...

New research following the Los Angeles wildfires shows that toxic exposures can persist long after flames are out. @joeallenjoe.bsky.social highlighted how lingering pollutants may pose ongoing health risks for affected communities, via The Washington Post. www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026...

Join us for this semester's Planning for Health speaker series, co-organized by the Harvard GSD Healthy Places Design Lab, and Healthy places GSD!

@joeallenjoe.bsky.social
@gsd.harvard.edu
@biobotanalytics.bsky.social

Pitchers and catchers report today

With NIOSH director John Howard. My read is that it’s 2-3 years for scientific research machine to get back to functioning.

So, whatever gains someone thought there’d be w DOGE haphazard cuts, just know that it cost 10x in admin costs and slowed our country’s R&D machine down by a few years

On Capitol Hill today advocating for worker health & safety, clean indoor air, and healthy buildings.

Is there value in public health training?

(still provides one of the most useful set of tools that are broadly applicable in many areas of the economy)

I'm paraphrasing. She said it better. Have a listen.

[5/5]

What is 'community-engaged' research?

(we've been using it as coded language, but it's more broad than how we use it)

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Does public health have a "branding" problem?

(she reminds us that it's not specific to public health - there is distrust across the country right now in a lot of areas)

[3/5]

Some incredibly smart insights - she gives us all some language for how to talk about and think about public health. 3 that stood out for me in the next posts.

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Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Sharing diverse perspectives on public health. Speakers do not speak for Harvard.

We had the privilege of having Dean @meganranney.bsky.social join us at Harvard yesterday, and if you're in public health (and even if you're not), I highly encourage listening to this chat she had with our own Dean.
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www.youtube.com/@HarvardPubl...